Crossing the Plank (Nanyin Opera)
by Lin Shao Ling and Hong Ru Wang
Siong Leng Musical Association
林少凌 洪茹望 (湘灵音乐社)

2008.10.17

The story was about the marriage of Luu Meng-Zheng and Liu Yue-E.

Luu Meng-Zheng was a poor scholar and Liu Yue-E was the daughter of Prime Minister Liu Mao.

Liu Mao built a platform to gather the gentlemen for Liu Yue-E to select one as her husband. Liu Yue-E inscribed a poem and Luu Meng-Zheng responded with a poem of Liu Yue-E's favourite. Hence, Liu Yue-E threw the betrothed silk strips ball to Luu Meng-Zheng. When Prime Minister Liu knew that Luu Meng-Zheng was poor, he denied the marriage. He later chased away Liu Yue-E and Luu Meng-Zheng.

The excerpt described the young couple on the way home after leaving the premises of the Prime Minister.

  After leaving the premises of the Prime Minister, the young couple was on the way home.

Liu Yue-E blamed her father of looking down upon Luu Meng-Zheng as he was poor and driving them away merciless.

Luu Meng-Zheng advised her not to grumble. He encouraged her that he might not be poor for the life and asked her to head for home.

  When they came to a stream, there was a plank.

Liu Yue-E looked at the fast-flowing stream and was afraid of walking across.

Luu Meng-Zheng said that he would cross first. He would then help her by using the willow to support.

Liu Yue-E was proud to see the husband to cross the river safely.

  After crossing the river, Liu Yue-E asked whether there would be any more plank.

Luu Meng-Zheng told her that the path ahead would be smooth and steady.

Liu Yue-E then recalled the home town and complained about the suffering on the way.

Luu Meng-Zheng advised her to move forward hand in hand.

  After walking for a while, Liu Yue-E complained about the pain of the feet.

She asked Luu Meng-Zheng whether it was near home.

She then asked Luu Meng-Zheng to go back and bring a sedan to carry her home.

Luu Meng-Zheng answered it was so near that there was not need to use a sedan.

As it would be sunset soon, they hurried home hand in hand.


25.03.2009